Lethal gas chamber



Sept. l2, 1939. E. c. Lxs'roN LETHAL GAS CHAMBER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct, 16, 1.937

Hummm- .m

I u, M MM i INVENTOR. 1 fA/z. (I L/STo/v.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. l2, 1939. E. c. L lsToN LETHAL GAS CHAMBER 3 Sheets--Sheenl 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1937 1 N VENTOR. DWL C. M570/v Sepl. 12, 1939. E Q L|5TON 2,172,768

LETHAL GAS CHAMBER Filed Oct. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lfi'AHl whirl 'ml MIN. I f2 f7 62 LiL/ T ai :g J 6] 53 El ,5a 59 L will W INVENTOR. EARL C. M570/v.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a lethal gas chamber for the execution of condemned criminals and has for its principal object the provision of a complete eicient assembly which will provide a gas tight chamber equipped with death chairs, gas generating equipment, gas exhaust equipment, and gas counteracting equipment, all under the contro-1 of one man located at one point so that a complete control can be had of the gas generation and the gas elimination from the executioners position.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the above mechanism so that it will form a complete unit which can be elciently built into a building structure to provide rooms for the witnesses, warden, doctor, and executioner, all grouped about the complete single unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a neat, compact, mechanism which will humanely execute the criminal or criminals with the least possible delay and confusion, and which will allow quick entry after the execution without danger to the attendants.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the vinvention reference is had to the accompanyingr drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings- Fig. l illustrates a front elevation of the lethal gas chamber and gas generating pit.

Fig. .2y is a detail view of the gas exhaust valve.l

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the chamber.

Fig. Il is a horizontal section, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a detailed section, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating an alternate form of gas generator.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the cyanide crystal valve.

Fig. 8 is a detail View of the ammonia distributing screen.

The invention comprises a vertical cylindrical metallic cell lll closed at its top with a conical roof Il, the central portion of which is flattened to provide a fan platform I2.

The cell is provided with a series, preferably five, of gas-tight glass windows I3 and with a door from suitable The door,

when closed, is clamped against a sealing gasket I 6 through the medium of a clamping latch mechanism I'I. The hinges and the latches are of the usual heavy duty refrigerator type.

The cell is sealed at its bottom with a metal 5A oor I8. The floor, walls, and roof are all preferably Welded together toI form a hermetically sealed structure.

One or more death chairs I9 are secured to the oor I8 by means of suitable stud bolts 2D. In 10 the cell illustrated, two chairs are employed. These chairs are of metal throughout and are provided with wire screen seats through which the lethal gas may pass.

In the form'. illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, a gen- 15 erating pit 2I is excavated below the cell I0. This pit .contains two lead lined, gas generating pots 22 for containing hydrochloric acid. A gas pipe 23 leads upwardly from each of the generating pots 22 and opens through the floor i8 directly 20' b elow each of the chairs. The ow of gas through these pipes is controlled by the means of gas valves 24 which are actuated in unison from a connecting rod 25. A gas waste pipe 26 leads from the upper portion of each pot through a 2.5

control Valve 2'I which is also lconnected with the connecting rod 25. 'Ihe relation of the valves 24 and 2l is such that when the former are opened the latter will be closed.

Each pot 22 carries a cyanide funnel 2B for 30 holding cyanide crystals. The ilow of the crystals to the pots is controlled by means of butterfly valves 29 which are actuated by connecting links 30 from the handles of the valves 24. The

relation of the valves 24 and 29 is such that both 35' will open simultaneously. Each pot is provided with an acid drain cock 3|. The connecting rod 25 leads through a bell crank lever 32 and rod 33 to a gas control lever 34 which is hinged on the side of the cell I0.

An exhaust fan 35 is mounted on top of the cell and driven from a suitable electric motor 36. 'Ihe exhaust fan communicates with the interior of the cell through an elbow 53, shown in detail in Fig. 2. The elbow has an exhaust plate valve 31 controlling its opening toI the cell. When this valve moves upwardly, it seals against suitable sealing gaskets 38. The plate valve is continuously urged to the closed position by means of a compression spring 39 acting on a valve stem 4l). 50 It is moved to the open position by means of a lever 4I which is actuated by a rod 42 from a second control lever 43.

Four compressed air pipes 44 lead into the botm of the cell Il] from any suitable air supply 55 (not shown). The air pipes are controlled by gate valves 45. Between each gate valve and the cell is an ammonia container 45 supported upon a drain pipe 41 which leads into the air pipe 44. The flow of ammonia is controlled by an ammonia valve 48 at each air pipe. Within the latter immediately below the ammonia pipe is an inclined screen 54 which acts to disperse the ammonia in the incoming air. At each air pipe the handles of the valves 45 and 48 are both connected to a pull rod 49, so that when the rod is pulled upwardly both valves will open simultaneously. The pull rods 49 are suspended from cranks 55 on a series of cranks and linkage 5| positioned on the roof of the cell, which is so arranged that, when operated in one direction, all of the valves 45 and 48 will be opened simultaneously, and when operated in the other direction all will be closed. The linkage is operated by means of a tie rod 52 connected to the valve lever 4|. Thus, it can be seen that when the second control lever 43 is moved downwardly it will simultaneously open the valves 31, 45, and 48. The waste gas pipe 25 may be connected to the intake of the exhaust fan 35.

The operation of the device is as follows: The prisoner (or prisoners) is placed in the chair IB and strapped thereto. The door I4 is closed and clamped against its gaskets. The lever 34 is lifted, this opens the valves 29 allowing the cyanide to discharge into the hydrochloric acid to generate the lethal gas. The movement of the lever also opens the valves 24 to allow the gas to flow directly to the cell ID and closes the waste valve 21 to prevent the escape of 'gas from the pots 22.

When the prisoner has been pronounced dead, the control lever 34 is lowered to close the gas valves 24 and the cyanide valves 29 and to open the waste valve 21 allo-wing the surplus gas to escape through the pipe 25. The second control lever 43 is now pushed downwardly to open all of the air valves 45 and all of the ammonia valves 48 causing ammonia vapor to be forced into the cell. The movement of the lever 43 also opens the exhaust valve 31 and the fan 34 operates to discharge the neutralized gas. When the lethal gas has been completely neutralized and removed, the lever 43 is raised to shut off the incoming air and ammonia and the cell is opened.

The particular cylindrical construction of the cell adapts it to a building of the type necessary for its purpose. For instance, a partition wall can be built up to the cell at the left side of the door, as indicated at A, and a second wall built up to the right side of the cell, indicated by 13. This devides the building about the cell into two rooms, a small prisoners room and a large witness room. The small room contains the door through which the prisoner enters the cell and the control apparatus for the executioner. Ob-

servation is possible from this small room through the single window at the right of the door. The remaining four windows open to the large witness room wherein the legally entitled witnesses are assembled to witness the execution.

In Figs. 5 and 6 an alternate form of gas generator is illustrated. This form consists of an acid pot 55 open at its top and positioned between the two chairs in the cell lll.

A post 56 is secured to the floor adjacent the pot 55. A lever 51 extends from the post to support a porous cyanide basket 58. The lever 51 is raised and lowered through the medium of toggel levers 59, which are secured on a shaft 60 extendingd through a gas tight packing 5I to the exterior of the cell. On the exterior an operating lever 62 is secured to the shaft, by means of which the basket 58 can be lowered and raised from the acid pot 55. This mechanism may replace the generating mechanism of the previous form. The air intake and exhaust mechanism of the previous form are retained, however.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for evacuating and neutralizing an execution chamber comprising: a suction fan for exhausting said gas from said chamber; an exhaust conduit adapted to connect said fan with said chamber; an exhaust valve for controlling the flow through said exhaust conduit; a fresh .i

air conduit for supplying fresh air to said chamber; a second valve controlling the flow through said latter conduit; an ammonia container; a conduit for carrying ammonia from said container to said chamber; a third valve controlling theflow of ammonia through the latter conduit; and a single control lever operatively connected with all three valves for simultaneously opening them so that fresh air and ammonia will flow into said chamber simultaneously with the exhausting of the gas therefrom.

2. Means for evacuating and neutralizing the gas in an execution chamber comprising: a fresh air conduit adapted to communicate with said chamber; an air valve for controlling the flo-w through said conduit; a reservoir for containing a neutralizing agent; a neutralizing pipe leading from said reservoir and communicating with said conduit between said air valve and said chamber; a neutralizing valve controlling the flow through said neutralizing pipe; means for operating said air and neutralizing valve simultaneously so that the neutralizing agent will be applied to the air as it flows to said chamber; and means for causing the air to flow through said conduit to said chamber.

EARL C. LISTON. 

